The Race
by Touga
Summary: A match to settle who the best horseback rider truly is... will it be the Zexen Knight Percival or the Karayan boy Hugo?


Disclaimer: Characters depicted in the story aren't mine. They belong to Konami.  
The Race  
  
There is always that time of the day when you can do nothing but lounge around and watch the world go slowly by. The raven-haired knight swirled his cup of ale as he watched some of his comrades make a fool of themselves in one of Nadir's plays. He chuckled for he knew that not all the people on stage wanted to be there by choice.  
  
"You're not drinking again, are you, Sir Percival?" An impish grin curved Hugo's lips as he approached the lone Zexen knight in the tavern. He pulled back a chair and sat across him. "And in broad daylight. Lady Chris would be very displeased with you."  
  
"That would be the case if she sees me." Percival grinned lazily and looked around. "Alas, I don't see her anywhere near now, do I?" He finished his cup and began to pour himself another one. "Want to try it?"  
  
"Er. no thanks." Hugo quickly shook his head. "My mother will kill me if she found out I've been drinking." Percival shrugged and leaned back on his chair. "By the way, Lady Chris is out on a sortie." The young Karayan continued. "Why aren't you accompanying her?"  
  
"Louis." He answered. A corner of his mouth began to twitch. "I made him drink too much wine last night." A wicked smile lit his bored expression. "She was bloody furious with me, said I have to stay here as punishment."  
  
"And you're not the least bit remorseful, are you?"  
  
"Hell, no." He laughed and took another swig of his ale. Hugo chuckled. Well, what can you expect from the Swordsman of Gale? "By the way, Noble Hugo, you didn't come here just to chat with an old chap like me, did you? Something I could be of service of?"  
  
"Old chap my behind." Hugo muttered not unkindly. He stood up, all traces of friendliness disappeared from his face. "I challenge you, Sir Percival of the Zexen Knights."  
  
"Indeed?" Percival sobered and sat up. Hugo marveled at the change in Percival's demeanor. If he had not witnessed Percival drinking, he could have sworn the knight wasn't indulging himself earlier on. Percival rested his hand on his sword, interest lighting up his dark eyes. "To a duel, perhaps? Only the goddess Sadie knows how truly bored I am."  
  
"Better, Sir Knight." Hugo answered. "I challenge you to a race."  
  
"A race, you say?" He dropped his hand from his sword and rubbed his smooth shaven chin. Confusion furrowed his brows and then, he smiled. "Ah, shall we settle who the better rider is?"  
  
"Exactly." Hugo nodded, challenge in his eyes. "I have heard that you hold the title of the fastest horseback rider in the ranch." He shrugged. "Perhaps that is because I haven't entered the competition?"  
  
"I see." Percival laughed. The young Karayan clearly had the guts to challenge a knight. "I think I shall accept. You owe me for that time you escaped from us in Vinay del Zexay."  
  
"'Tis because you and Sir Leo were wearing those heavy armor that you were not able to catch a mere boy like me." Hugo continued baiting the knight. "You might consider taking off that heavy load when you race me. It might do you good."  
  
"I can beat you with my eyes closed, Hugo boy." Percival laughed and stood up. "Shall we fetch our horses?"  
"A perfect day for a ride, eh, Sir Percival?" Hugo flexed his muscles as he prepared for the contest. The soft breeze in the ranch ruffled his hair as he watched the sun set in the horizon. "The Spirits are calm today. A good sign that is."  
  
Percival straightened as he finished saddling up his horse. He followed Hugo's gaze. The sun was slowly setting, transforming the sky from blue to the colors of dusk. "My hometown displays the most beautiful sunsets." Percival said more to himself than to Hugo.  
  
"Your hometown?" Hugo tipped his head sideways, a movement he always does to show his confusion. "Doesn't Sir Percival hail from Vinay del Zexay?"  
  
"No, I don't. I'm from Iksay Village." Borus called it an indecent place. He suddenly remembered. He ignored the younger knight when he insulted the village. Lady Chris spoke for him. True, he was quite affronted with Borus' comment but. Hell, he never was a sentimental fool. The ale must be affecting his brain more than he thought. He shook his head and chuckled.  
  
Hugo watched the knight's face change from deadpan to disturbed to amused. He doesn't know Sir Percival well but from what he had gathered from the villagers, he was a hard man to predict. He always had a cool front that people found it hard to read his emotions. He was never known to lose his temper.  
  
There was even a time when Lady Chris took some men to investigate the Cyndar Ruins found in the Ancient Highway. When he, his mother, Geddoe, Apple, and Caesar arrived, they found out that Lady Chris and her party fought the manifestation of the True Water Rune. He noticed that the party, save for Sir Percival, were in their berserk mode.  
  
It is frightening to think of him as an enemy. Hugo thought uneasily. Having a cool head is always an advantage in combat. Hugo finally understood why Sgt. Joe has been stopping him from fighting irrationally all this time.  
  
"Are you boys ready?" Kathy, the pretty blonde rancher, asked with a smile. "A lot of people have heard about your match. They have come to watch you race."  
  
"Prepare for your greatest humiliation, Hugo boy." Percival grinned as he led his horse to the starting point.  
  
"I'm a knight's worst nightmare come to life." Hugo laughed as he followed suit. He mounted on his Karayan horse and Percival did the same.  
  
"On my signal." Kathy said. "Ready and. GO!"  
  
Dust flew as the two riders sprang to motion. Their horses were in full gallop, set in defeating the other rider. Percival laughed as he overtook Hugo. The latter gritted his teeth and leaned forward. He dug his heels on the animal's flanks and the Karayan horse sped up. He finally caught up with the knight's fast pace.  
  
One lap was up. Then two. Hugo and Percival were racing neck to neck. An I'll-Never-Lose kind of smile was pasted on both their lips. Percival noticed that Hugo was gaining on him. He leaned lower and dug his heels. The horse quickly complied with its rider's wish. He caught up with the Karayan. And finally, the third lap.  
  
"Hyah!" Hugo urged his steed to go faster. The sun has now fully set. Cheers from the onlookers became louder as the riders closed in on the finish line.  
  
"Almost there, Hugo boy!" Percival shouted over the cheers. "You will lose!"  
  
"In your dreams!" Hugo answered with a laugh.  
  
As they neared the finish line, a little bundle of fur jumped out from the bushes. Koroku paused in the middle of the track as he watched a butterfly land on his wet nose. His ears perked up when a thunder-like noise startled the insect into flying away. The dog's eyes grew wide as he saw the clouds of dust nearing him. Koroku whimpered and covered his head with his paws. And waited for the inevitable to happen.  
  
They stopped in the nick of time. Their horses stopped only a couple of feet away from the orange ball cringing in front of them. They dismounted to check on the little puppy.  
  
"You okay, Koroku?" Hugo knelt and nudged the shaking dog. Koroku looked up. "Don't do that again, you hear? It's dangerous! We almost killed you and you almost unseated us!"  
  
"You're talking to a dog, Hugo." Percival pointed out the obvious with a touch of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.  
  
"He can understand me." The boy muttered, embarrassed. "Right, Koroku?"  
  
"Aroo?" Koroku answered.  
  
"Uh-huh." Percival nodded and crossed his arms. The smile still pasted on his lips. "And I guess that meant Yes, Noble Hugo, I understand every word." He laughed. Hugo reddened with embarrassment and stood up.  
  
"Hey!" Kathy suddenly called out from the finish line. "The race isn't finished yet!" The crowd started to cheer again. Both Hugo and Percival looked at each other. They were only a few meters from the finish line.  
  
"No, you don't!" Percival shouted. He sprang into motion when Hugo started to run to the finish line. Hugo's smile was ear to ear since he knew that he was going to win. The knight's armor will indeed slow him down.  
  
"I warned you about that armor!" Hugo laughingly called over his shoulder. He reached the finish line and laughed. "I win! Beat me with your eyes closed, eh?" He taunted the knight when Percival reached his side. The crowd cheered for Hugo. Some booed him laughingly because of his cunning. Percival ruffled Hugo's golden head.  
  
"I want a rematch." The knight laughed graciously. "That wasn't a fair match from my thinking."  
  
"No, it wasn't." Hugo conceded with a smile. "You might want to try wearing Karayan clothes when we race again. They are really comfortable."  
  
"I'd rather ask you to wear an armor for a change." Percival answered. "Come, let's go back to the tavern and celebrate your. uh. victory."  
  
"I might want to try that ale you were drinking a while ago."  
  
"Naw." Percival shook his head. "Borus has the best tasting wine in the world. I'll ask him to join us." 


End file.
